Climate brings giant pandas on brink of extinction

International

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Published: Wednesday, November 5, 2008, 12:14 [IST]

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Washington, Nov 5: Researchers at York University have determined that climate change may be about to affect the lives of rare species such as the giant panda, because of fears that global warming is likely to result in substantial re-distribution of plants and animals. According to a report in Environmental News Network (ENN), the University of York and the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh, with Sichuan University and the Kunming Institute of Botany in China, carried out the research.

The researchers focused on the effect of climate change on the bamboo, which is the giant panda's principal food. Researchers discovered that while some types of bamboo reduced in range due to global warming, others actually increased.

The findings will provide important information to help to safeguard the endangered animal's future.

There is particular concern for animals already struggling, such as the giant panda, which is hanging on in a small area of China.

According to Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh, Professor Steve Blackmore, "Pandas spend 14 hours a day eating, and bamboo forms 99 per cent of their diet, so they are completely reliant on the right bamboo species being present in order to survive."